Courtesy: The AFC.com


Excitement builds up in Bangkok

BANGKOK: The build-up to the biggest futsal show in Asia steps up a notch with the draw for the AFC Futsal Championship 2008 here in the Thai capital on Friday.

There promises to be no shortage of excitement at the draw venue Radisson Hotel, starting 2pm local time when the 16 teams, including hosts Thailand, are pulled out of the pots and slotted to complete the full slate of groupings for the May 11-18 competition.

It is stating the obvious that top seeds Iran, the perennial kingpins of Asian futsal who have won the title eight times in nine editions, are the team to avoid for the others.

Iran’s supremacy in the five-a-side version of the game was briefly interrupted in 2006 by Japan but Team Melli lost little time in putting the challengers in their place by easily reclaiming their title in Osaka last year.

Japan are seeded second after finishing as runners-up in Osaka after Iran made light of the hosts’ home turf advantage to hand out a 4-1 drubbing and return the title back to their trophy cabinet.

Central Asian teams Uzbekistan, an emerging futsal power and regulars in the semi-finals, and Kyrgyzstan, who almost accounted for Japan in the last four last year, are seeded third and fourth.

Since the draw is based on the results of the last edition, the top four seeds will be drawn first into different pots, followed by a similar slotting of teams ranked 5-8, 9-12, and then 13-16. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals.

Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Kuwait had to take the tough qualifying route to the main competition.

The four Asian semi-finalists automatically qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup later in the year.

AFC FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2008 - TEAMS AND SEEDINGS
1. Iran, 2. Japan, 3. Uzbekistan, 4. Kyrgyzstan, 5. Lebanon, 6. Tajikistan, 7. Thailand, 8. Australia, 9. Korea Republic, 10. Iraq, 11. China, 12. Turkmenistan. 13. C Taipei, 14. Malaysia, 15. Indonesia, 16 Kuwait





Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com